Full Days

I've been so busy the last couple of weeks just living my life, there's been no time to blog anything about it. All good things, but lots of them. Here are some highlights:

I'd like to say that one thing keeping me busy was working in the yard since it looks like spring is here already. (Actually it was 85 degrees yesterday and felt more like summer. I keep remembering the old TV commercial that said, "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature!" Feels like someone has.) But gardening is not one of my talents.Thankfully I have friends who do have those talents. So last week after a large agricultural awards dinner, one friend send the table decoration home with me. The master gardeners here had arranged fresh flowers for all 40 tables that evening. 

When the weekend arrived, Baby Sister and her family came here for a couple of days. Big Sister had been chosen to represent her school at the SC Young Writers' Conference on Saturday. Baby Sister spent the day here. It was fun watching her explore. But she has reached the stage where she is constant motion. Which meant Granddaddy and I also had to be in constant motion. No rest for us. But how much fun it was to have them here!

We pulled out everything we could think of to keep her entertained. Many of the toys here are ones that belonged to our girls when they were little. 

One real treasure is the basket of wooden cars that my dad crafted. He made hundreds of cars for children. We gave many for birthday gifts--usually a plastic bin filled with lots of little cars. He's probably smiling somewhere now to think his great-grandchild is now playing with them.

And in bits and pieces and stops and starts, I managed to finish my first lace shawl yesterday. It's drying now so later today, I'll get to see what it really looks like. I know that someone is thinking "why would you knit when you say you are so busy?" And I can tell you--knitting is a quiet, calming activity. It gives me a chance to sit still and gather my scattered self. A little of the soothing repetitive motion and everything settles down. I settle down. And soon I'm ready to go again. 

There is also the music. The "gig" part of my blog title is a reference to my music activity. It's usually my ukulele band that keeps me busy. (And it still does. There is practice today. We play on Monday.) But at the moment, it's the piano that is demanding my attention. Would someone REMIND ME how much practice is required to get a piece ready before I agree to play in public again? 

This morning, I'm looking for a recipe that I can make and leave for Granddaddy to heat up over the weekend because I'm sneaking off for a tiny vacation with Jessica. Have to love a daughter who calls and says, "Mom, want to go with me to....?" 

If I find a really good recipe to make for him, I'll be sure to share.

Why

Ever wonder what makes a toy "the favorite?" When Mommy was a little girl, she had a soft fabric clown doll that was never meant to be a toy--it should have been a decorating piece, meant to sit on a shelf. But she carried that doll everywhere. There is even a photo of Mommy and "Doll" when Mommy was an infant and too little to hold "Doll" but her face was beaming as she looked at it.

After a couple of years and lots of mending, then many patches--even the patches had patches--and then a suit to hold "Doll" together a little longer, this toy vanished. It may have spontaneously disintegrated. (It had never been washed because it was originally glued together and had felt parts.) If it had not disappeared, we might have eventually called in a hazmat team to take care of it. Thankfully, we have photos of this special toy with a little girl Mommy.

Baby Sister seems to have found her favorite. Of all the toys in her house, we would have never thought these would be her constant companions. I understand she carries them with her everywhere.

A plastic ear of corn and a pot lid. Go figure. Time will tell if this choice is "THE" toy. But for now she loves to carry them around. And thankfully they are washable! 

Sunday Sunday

Feels like my Sunday started on Saturday this weekend. I volunteered to make something for the today's pre-Sunday School coffee time. During Lent everyone is gathering before Sunday School to watch the video introduction to the week's chapter of "24 Hours That Changed The World."

So yesterday I made lots of sausage balls and mini-muffins. The sausage ball recipe is an old one. If you are close to my age, you probably have the recipe. If you don't have it, I'm happy to share.

Someone this morning said, "We never have these except during the holidays!" I agree---I have never made these in March before. It's usually during the fall that I'll pull this recipe out for tailgating or holiday get-togethers.

I got so busy this morning setting up for the coffee time that I forgot to make a photo of the sausage balls. (I made about 15 dozen.) All but a handful were eaten, so there was no chance to make a photo afterward. Closest thing I have is the photo above. These had just come out of the oven.

You'll have to use your imagination to picture the beautiful table that Big Sister set up while I was making lots of coffee--a tiered tray of blueberry and orange-cranberry mini-muffins, a plate of apple slices and a huge tray of warm sausage balls. I was thankful to have her help this morning.

SAUSAGE BALLS

1 (1-lb.) package of ground sausage, hot or mild (I use Jimmy Dean's)

3 cups Bisquick

4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese-- almost 1 lb. (don't buy pre-grated cheese for this)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (I omit this if I use hot sausage)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands. The mixture will be crumbly. Form into 1-inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.

Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through baking.   

Yield:  5-6 dozen

My hints for making these:

• Really--don't buy a bag of grated cheese for this. Grate your own. Trust me.
• I like to add my grated cheese and Bisquick into the mixing bowl in layers, so that the cheese doesn't all clump together.
• Crumble up the uncooked sausage as best you can as you add it to the bowl. Makes it easier to mix in.
• Take off your rings before you start to work this together. You'll be happy I told you this.
• It takes a lot of squishing and squeezing to get this to stick together. But it will. Don't give up.
• Recruit a husband or boyfriend to help with the mxing. Evidently, it's a tradition for many husbands to help make these. It's quite a workout.
• Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper keeps them from sticking so you don't need to move them around halfway through the baking.
• Make enough so that you can have some when they first come out of the oven.
• You can make them a day ahead and then reheat them briefly in the oven.

**Big Sister proof read this post for me. She asked if I had made a mistake and typed Sunday twice in the title. I sometimes forget that you readers cannot read what is in my mind. "Sunday Sunday" is a play on the title of one of my favorite songs from the 60s--Monday Monday. 

Made It

Made it all the way to Friday! This week was really no crazier than any other but maybe my "grandmother age" is catching up with me. Whatever the reason, I'm glad it's Friday. 

Let's see, I taught a ukulele lesson (I'm teaching a new ukulele convert), played handbells (even played with the kids' bell group since I'm short enough to blend in), led the Yesterukes practice, attended a cattlemens' dinner meeting where we learned more about weed control in pastures...

...finished the last of the church directory stuff, went to a funeral (a sweet aunt left this earth at age 93) and then spent this morning at the car dealer waiting. Turns out the office-type lighting in the waiting room was perfect for knitting--much brighter than my knitting spot at home. (Kind of enjoyed my morning of imprisonment at the dealership.) 

Pattern: Shaelyn

Yarn: Dream In Color Smooshy

Needle: Size 6

So by the time suppertime tonight arrived, I really didn't want to do much of anything. It was simply a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich (homemade bread from the freezer) and oven fries. 

I gave up frozen French fries years ago when I came across this way of making homemade fries. I figure homemade is always better for you. Just simple basic ingredients--no additives. Turn the oven on first--before you even start scrubbing the potatoes. Then it will be heating while you are prepping.

Oven Fries

4 baking potatoes

1 teaspoon cooking oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spray baking sheet with PAM. Scrub potatoes, pat dry and slice each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges.

Put potatoes in mixing bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil. Toss to coat.

Bake on sheet for 15 minutes. Turn and bake 15 minutes more, or until they begin to brown.

(This time I cut my wedges thinner and they cooked much quicker.  Just go by the color.)

I found the wire baking "pan" years ago at Walmart, I think, for about $5. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made. Because of the open bottom, the heated air surrounds the potatoes and you don't have to turn them. They brown all the way around. Don't think I've seen one since, but maybe they are still out there somewhere. If you see one, get one.

Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken

Barbecued chicken and I go way back. There was an easy recipe that made the rounds when I was taking home economics in high school. The barbecue sauce was made from just ketchup and cola mixed, poured over chicken pieces, and baked in the oven. Pretty tasty and just right for a novice cook.

When I worked as a 4H professional years ago, one of my 4Hers won the state BBQ Chicken Cook-Off. He's been a state senator for years now. Every time I see him on the news, he's talking politics and I'm thinking about BBQ chicken.

Daughter Jessica made a new version of BBQ chicken a couple of weeks ago and posted the recipe on her blog. It's like a grown-up version of that first one I made in high school. It's quick to put together and then supper is ready when the day is done. It's a good basic recipe. Still not fancy but one worth trying. The crockpot is much easier than bothering with the grill when you're busy. (But, Granddaddy, when you have time to grill, yours is the best!)

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken

2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cut-up whole chicken, about 3-3-1/2 lb.  [I used about 3 lbs. of bone-in chicken breasts]

1/2 cup cola soft drink

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoon bourbon

1 lemon, sliced & seeded

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chicken. Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker.
2. Whisk together cola soft drink and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from chicken). Place lemon slices in a single layer on top of chicken.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours (or on LOW 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours) or until done.
4. Transfer chicken pieces to a serving platter; discard lemon slices. Skim fat from pan juices in slow cooker. Pour pan juices over chicken; serve immediately.


TRY THIS:
Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 3. Remove chicken from slow cooker, and let cool slightly (about 10 to 15 minutes). Discard lemons. Skin, bone, and shred chicken. Skim fat from pan juices, and pour over chicken. 
Note: To make ahead, cool shredded chicken completely. Freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months.


**In a sad note, my old faithful hunter green ivy crockpot bit the dust today--with a little help from me. (Melted cord. Blown fuse. Long story.) This is the last time you'll see this crockpot here.

And The Winner Is...

We were invited to an Oscars party tonight. Big Sister decorated the table with a red carpet and awards. Supper was delicious. We got to watch the stars in their beautiful gowns. And we saw the first few awards announced. Then it was bedtime for both sisters and it was time for us to head home.

Thank you, Mommy, for a good supper. And thank you, Big Sister, for making it a party!

Little Helper

When Granddaddy went this week to do a fix-it job for Mommy, Baby Sister came over and planted herself in his lap for a ringside seat. Could be that she was closely observing how the child-proof locks were installed so that she can undo them even faster than she typically figures it out. Padlocks might be next.